Space-as-a-Service™ Startup Acquires Major Tom + The Assets Of Kubos Corporation (Image Credit: Sat News)
Xplore Inc., a commercial space company providing Space as a Service®, has acquired the assets of Kubos Corporation and that firm’s Major Tom® mission and flight control software platform for satellites.
Major Tom enables mission operations for more than a dozen satellites currently on-orbit for commercial and government customers. In a seamless transition to Xplore, key Kubos employees joined the Xplore team and will expand Xplore’s offerings, to include cloud-based, mission operation software.
Image is courtesy of Xplore Inc.
Major Tom is a scalable platform with satellite mission operations and planning tools. The cloud-based software allows operators to perform ground station scheduling, satellite tasking and telemetry monitoring, saving money and time on planning and design. With Major Tom, users operate their missions on a unified cloud platform and have the ability to integrate and control ground segment applications and services as well as further de-risks mission operations. Features include out-of-the-box ground network integrations, data analytics, real-time dashboards and a customizable commanding API.
Lisa Rich, Xplore Founder and Chief Operating Officer, said, “We are a customer-focused commercial space company that is now both a customer and developer of Major Tom. As users, developers and stakeholders, the ability to easily connect and setup command and control systems for satellites and constellations is essential. Our unique perspective will enable us to continually improve the features and capabilities of our flight-ready mission control system from the inside out.”
Xplore has onboarded key members of Kubos’ team, including former CEO and co-founder of Kubos, Tyler Browder. who said, “I’m delighted to join the Xplore team as Business Development Director for Mission Operations. In my new role I will continue to build and grow the Major Tom platform into an expanded service offering. With Xplore’s support and expert team, I am confident in our ability to scale operations and provide enhanced functionality to our customers.”
Jeff Rich, Xplore Founder and CEO, said, “Kubos’ software platform adds to the foundational layers Xplore has built with our innovative team, spacecraft engineering, facility, radio spectrum and traction with customers. We look forward to using Major Tom for Xplore’s first mission launching this fall, and for all future missions.”
As part of this strategic acquisition, Xplore will inherit relationships with an extensive network of ground station operators and cloud providers. Lisa Rich said, “We are actively working on new partnerships and invite founders and businesses to share new acquisition opportunities with us that fit our strategic vision.”
Xplore provides Space as a Service®, offering data products, sensor tasking, mission operations software and payload hosting as a service to our customers. Xplore uses the Xcube and Xcraft®, our highly capable ESPA-class spacecraft to provide these services to our customers. The company operates out of its state-of-the-art 22,000 sq ft satellite manufacturing facility in Redmond, Washington.
